Strategic consultation on the FE workforce and Initial Teacher Education workforce for the Education & Training Foundation

A research project undertaken on behalf of the Education and Training Foundation exploring barriers to attracting candidates with higher qualifications and skills to the FE sector and to explores if ITE predominantly attracts people from a humanities background. The report suggests that people move into FE teaching through opportunity. The issue if dual professionalism is an important element of identity. Those becoming teacher educators tend to drift into the role. Discussions were focused less on the background of people but on the space they have to deliver a curriculum which includes pedagogy theory and the extent to which ITE need to have subject specialisms to prepare teachers for effective classroom practice.Education and Training Foundatio

What is the recommended evaluation and treatment for elevated serum prolactin?

History and physical examination can distinguish among most physiologic, pharmacologic, or pathologic causes of an elevated serum prolactin level (SPL) (strength of recommendation [SOR]: C, expert opinion). Patients with unexplained elevations of serum prolactin or with a level above 200 ng/mL should undergo imaging of the sella turcica (SOR: C, expert opinion). Mildly elevated SPL due to physiologic causes may be managed expectantly (SOR: B, cohort studies) and pharmacologic elevations may be treated by discontinuing the causative medication (SOR: C, expert opinion). Elevated SPL due to pathologic causes requires both monitoring for complications and treatment of the underlying condition (SOR: C, expert opinion)

Beach Wheelchair Attachment

This document includes the problem that is under scrutiny, the background research towards finding a solution, the objectives, scope of the project, the planned overall design process, the preliminary design we have produced and analyzed, the critical design we have manufactured, the testing and results, and the final assessment of the produced design. The problem is lack of easy access and movement for wheelchair users on the beach. Other solutions and designs have been logged under background research. With this information, the scope of work was designed to meet all the needs specified and describe how the specifications will be measured. The overall process was undertaken to produce multiple designs which were then refined into a preliminary design to move forward with. A timeline for the project and analysis of the preliminary design have been specified. The critical design and manufacturing plan for the design are mentioned as well. The critical design is a wheel and lever ratchet mechanism that can be easily attached to any manual quick-release axle wheelchair. The design is a three-part assembly: the ratcheting hub and wheels are the first assembly, the second is the lever which attaches to the first assembly, and the third assembly is the separate front wheel ski mechanism to prevent sinking into the sand

The contribution of fatigue and sleepiness to depression in patients attending the sleep laboratory for evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea

Purpose: A high prevalence of depressive symptomatology has been reported amongst sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but it remains unclear as to whether this is due to their OSA or other factors associated with the disorder. The current study aimed to assess the incidence and aetiology of depression in a community sample of individuals presenting to the sleep laboratory for diagnostic assessment of OSA. Methods: Forty-five consecutive individuals who presented to the sleep laboratory were recruited; of those, 34 were diagnosed with OSA, and 11 were primary snorers with no clinical or laboratory features of OSA. Nineteen control subjects were also recruited. Patients and controls completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Profile of Mood States (POMS), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to assess their mood and sleepiness, prior to their polysomnography. Results: All patients reported significantly more depressive symptoms compared with healthy controls, regardless of their degree of OSA. There were no significant differences between OSA patients and primary snorers on any of the mood and self-rated sleepiness measures. Depression scores were not significantly associated with any of the nocturnal variables. Regression analysis revealed that the POMS fatigue subscale explained the majority of the variance in subjects' depression scores. Conclusions: Fatigue was the primary predictor of the level of depressive symptoms in patients who attended the sleep laboratory, regardless of the level of severity of sleep disordered breathing. When considering treatment options, practitioners should be aware of the concomitant occurrence of depressive symptoms and fatigue in patients presenting with sleep complaints, which may not be due to a sleep disorder

The State of the Great Central Valley -- Community Well-Being

Part of a series that provides various quality of life indicators for California's Central Valley. Includes data on citizenship, community and organizational participation, democratic participation by ethnic and racial groups, and youth engagement

How should you evaluate a toddler for speech delay?

Use a brief screening tool to assess children for speech and language delay at every preventive visit. If a delay in speech is identified, evaluate the child for potentially treatable causes, starting with a history and physical examination and a formal audiogram. Additional tests and referral to appropriate specialists may be indicated (strength of recommendation [SOR]: C, expert opinion). Speech and language therapy improves phonological delays and vocabulary difficulties in young children (SOR: A, systematic review of randomized controlled trials [RCTs]). However, no studies have evaluated long-term outcomes or looked for adverse effects from speech and language screening or interventions

The association of working alliance, outcome expectation, adherence and self-efficacy with clinical outcomes for Achilles tendinopathy: A feasibility cohort study (the MAP study)

Introduction: This study evaluated the feasibility of a large longitudinal cohort study utilizing an online platform to investigate the association and predictive relationship of working alliance, outcome expectations, adherence and self-efficacy with outcome in Achilles tendinopathy. The objectives were: (1) to determine the recruitment and retention rate and (2) to carry out preliminary data analysis of the selected variables and clinical outcomes. Methods: A multi-centred, longitudinal feasibility cohort study was used. Eligible participants were directed to a bespoke online platform hosting study information and the outcome measures in the form of an online questionnaire. Responses from the online questionnaire were collected on three occasions: at baseline, at 6 and at 12 weeks following completion of the first questionnaire. Feasibility outcomes (recruitment and retention rates) were described using descriptive statistics. Results: The website recorded a total 55 views. These 55 views resulted in 24 participants consenting to join the study. The questionnaire at baseline was started 63 times and completed on 60 separate occasions resulting in a 95% conversion rate. Retainment for completion of the questionnaire for a second time was 83.3% and for the third time was 66.6%. All questionnaires were completed fully yielding a missing data indicator of 0%. Conclusions: Feasibility studies ask the question ‘can this be done’? Based on the data from recruitment and rates and exploratory correlation analysis a future study can be done; this previously untested online platform appears feasible, but changes could be useful before proceeding to a much larger study

Predictive police patrolling to target hotspots and cover response demand

Police forces are constantly competing to provide adequate service whilst faced with major funding cuts. The funding cuts result in limited resources hence methods of improving resource efficiency are vital to public safety. One area where improving the efficiency could drastically improve service is the planning of patrol routes for incident response officers. Current methods of patrolling lack direction and do not consider response demand. Police patrols have the potential to deter crime when directed to the right areas. Patrols also have the ability to position officers with access to high demand areas by pre-empting where response demand will arise. The algorithm developed in this work directs patrol routes in real-time by targeting high crime areas whilst maximising demand coverage. Methods used include kernel density estimation for hotspot identification and maximum coverage location problems for positioning. These methods result in more effective daily patrolling which reduces response times and accurately targets problem areas. Though applied in this instance to daily patrol operations, the methodology could help to reduce the need for disaster relief operations whilst also positioning proactively to allow quick response when disaster relief operations are required

Psychosocial predictors of postnatal anxiety and depression: Using Structural Equation Modelling to investigate the relationship between pressure to breastfeed, healthcare professional support, postnatal guilt and shame, and postnatal anxiety and depression within an infant feeding context

In high income settings, high perceived pressure to breastfeed and poor perceived quality of healthcare professional support have been associated with early breastfeeding cessation, guilt, and shame. This is important because guilt and shame significantly predict postnatal anxiety and depression. No previous attempts have been made to provide quantitative evidence for relationships mapped between the postnatal social context, infant feeding method, and emotional wellbeing outcomes. The current study aimed to empirically investigate aforementioned pathways. Structural equation modelling was applied to survey data provided online by 876 mothers. Guilt and shame both significantly predicted anxiety and depression. Poor healthcare professional support and high pressure to breastfeed increased anxiety and depression, and these effects were explained by indirect pathways through increases in guilt and shame. Formula feeding exclusivity was negatively correlated with postnatal anxiety symptoms. This finding may be explained by feelings of relief associated with observed infant weight gain and being able to share infant feeding responsibilities with others e.g., one’s partner. This relationship, however, was counterbalanced by an indirect pathway where greater formula feeding exclusivity positively predicted guilt, which in turn increased postnatal anxiety score. While guilt acted as mediator of infant feeding method to increase postnatal depression and anxiety, shame acted independently of infant feeding method. These identified differences provide empirical support for the transferability of general definitions of guilt (i.e., as remorse for having committed a moral transgression) and shame (i.e., internalisation of transgressive remorse to the self), to an infant feeding context. Recommendations for healthcare practitioners and the maternal social support network are discussed